Sunday, September 3, 2017

Mural Creation at Children's Home

For three weeks this summer I engaged with an inspiring group of teenage girls at the Children's Home of York -- Girls Center to create a wall mural. The colorful mural will bring vitality, color and voice to an otherwise bland, blank wall in their cafeteria nook.

The completed mural, "Growthtopia", at the Children's Home of York

Theme from Poster Art
A theme of "growth and change" was selected after reviewing artwork created by residents of the home this past Spring. Butterflies, flowers and quotes were common images in that art.

A sample of poster art created by previous residents at the Girls Center.

A sample of poster art created by previous residents at the Girls Center.

A sample of poster art created by previous residents at the Girls Center.

Proposal
I created a rough mock-up of the mural concept and submitted it to leadership.

Rough mock-up of the mural concept.

The Process
The girls embraced the idea. Through daily intuitive art exercises and drawing prompts the words, flowers and butterflies took shape.

Using Nova Color Paints, words were painted in a pearlescent tone-on-tone turquoise against the sky. Now, as a viewer look closely, words are translucent yet shimmer brightly as light bounces off each letter. The girls voices speak.

Flowers and butterflies in all shapes, sizes and color dance across the mural.

The girls took ownership of the process and project. The results are bright, vivid, thoughtful and hopeful. It is evident even in the cover illustration for the mural dedication program.

Every butterfly, word and flower makes me smile. As one quote on the mural states, "If your legs get tired run with your heart."

The Mural Name
They titled their mural "Growthtopia".

Artist Residency
For the project I was a teaching artist in an artist residency through the PA Council of the Arts's Arts In Education program and the Cultural Alliance of York.